The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Truckers' strike evokes a mixed response in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Truckers' strike evokes a mixed response in State

Special Correspondent

Over 150 lorries and trucks go off the road

HYDERABAD: Over 1.50 lakh lorries and trucks went off the road on Tuesday in response to the call given by the Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners Association (APLOA) and the All-India Motor Transport Congress to protest the sharp rise in the prices of diesel. The lorry bandh evoked mixed response all over the State barring Hyderabad.

Reports reaching here said long-distance lorries and trucks stopped by the roadside following the bandh call. The APLOA president, P. Gopal Naidu, said the response was good. However, in the State capital, its impact was not felt. He said movement of lorries was stopped between 10 am and 5 pm. Representatives of the association submitted a memorandum to revenue officials in the districts. The call evoked good response in Vijayawada, Nellore, Kurnool, Anantapur and Visakhapatnam.

Demo staged

A report from Vijayawada said the Krishna District Lorry Owners' Association staged a demonstration at Benz Circle and later took out a rally to the Sub-Collector's office. The association contended that the conditions in the lorry transport sector had gone from bad to worse. The association lamented that ever since the UPA government came to power, the diesel price had increased from Rs. 23.52 to Rs. 31.47 a litre. The APLOA representative, Samson, said in Hyderabad lorries carrying essential commodities were exempted from the bandh. However, all long-distance and inter-state transport vehicles were stopped on city outskirts. There was no loading or unloading of goods at Autonagar and industrial areas in Medchal, Balanagar, Bonthapally and Patancheru, he added.

Meanwhile, the Transporters and Truck Operators Federation of South India ignored the bandh call. The federation felt that strike was not the solution to the frequent rise in diesel price. Instead, the federation conducted its general body meeting to take stock of the situation.

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